Means for coordinating sound and motion-picture records



w.l.. WILLIAMS. MEANS FDR COD'RDINATING SOUND AND MOTION PICTURE RECORDS.

A APPLICATION FILED JULY I0, 1913. 1,889,407. Patented Aug. 30, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

W` E. WILLIAMS. MEANS FOR Cob'RDlNATlNG SOUND AND MDTloNPlCTuRl-i RECORDS.

APPLlCATlQ-N FILED JULY 10, 1913.

Patented Aug. 30, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Z5 o L few PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM ERASTUS WILLIAMS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MEANS FOR CORDINATING SOUND AND :MIO'.lllO1\`|'-'.PIC!TURE` RECORDS.

Application filed July 10,

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, VILLIAM ERAsTUs VVILLrAMs, a citizen of thev United State-s, and a resident of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Means for lordinating Sound and Motion Picture Records, 'of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide for synchronously reproducing in a practicable way sound and motion picture records.

The accompanying drawings illustrate,. diagrammatically, apparatus for carrylng out my invention.

Figure l, is a perspective view of such parts only of the machinery as may be necessary to illustrate a means for properly marking the two records. n

Fig. 2, is a detail of the film picture record.

Fig. 3, shows a slight modification of the film of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4, is a view of the sound record.

In the drawings l, Fig. l, indicates .a suitable casing having a partition 2 which divides it into compartments 3, 4, for containing, respectively, any suitable sound recording apparatus and any ,suitable photographic apparatus, which may be a moving picture camera. The mechanisms in the two compartments are connected by any suitable devices for securing synchronous operation, shown in this instance as a shaft 5. The sound record may be of any suitable form or construction, but I prefer to use a flexible band or strip 6 consisting of or coated with any suitable material, such as gum, wax, pulp, or other material suited for my purpose. The strip 6 is provided with perforations 7 (Fig. 4) analogous to those of ordinary picture film and serving a like purpose, and has a central area to receive a sound record-8 and a space alongside this area to receive indentifying marks 10, preferably formed by perforating the band, so that light passing through the perforations may make them readily and quickly distinguishable, even in the usual dark room, or elsewhere where the band may beinspected.

The photographic film 9 (Figs. l, 2, 3) is identically perforated, so far as longitu- Speeication of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 30, 1921. 1913. serial No. 278,258.

dinal spacing is concerned, and each picture space corresponds to a like space on the sound record strip, although I do not restrict myself to spaces of equal longitudinal extent on the two strips.

The mechanisms employed are shown only dia rammatically. The photographic strip is ed by the usual sprocket drums 36, 38, a loop being formed in the ordinary way, and the intermediate portion is advanced intermittently past an exposure opening 34, in the axis of a lens 33, by a drum 37 upon the shaft 5, which is intermittently rotated by a common star wheel device 39. As the lm advances, and during its periods of rest Aat 48 and gently urged toward the film by a spring 48 thus creating a slight tension here quite desirable. The sound record is made by a stylus 4l, carried by a diaphragm 42 of a suitable horn 43. The identifying marks are applied to this strip by a punch workin against a platen 47 and operated syncronously with the numbering wheel 30 in the other compartment, by devices not shown. In other words, the same number is applied lto both strips at the same instant, so that when the records are reproduced, the sound and picture records may at any time be brought into exact accord. The marking has the further advantage of affording a check upon careless operators who may destroy portions of the record.

As shown, the sound record is made upon a constantly moving portion of the strip, but the punching may be done during periods of rest or otherwise.

In case it is desired to have the picture and sound records made at a distance from each other greater than it may be when both are within the same casing 1, the two mechanisms may be separated, and the synchronizing may be secured by means analogous to that shown, or by synchronized clock Work, synchronized electric motors, or otherwise.

l/Vhat I claim is A talking picture apparatus including means for producinc a film carrying, a sound record a separate film carrying a picture record, and means for ilaclng, simultaneously with the making,- o the sound and piclure records, a series of correspondingidentification marks along the marginal traction edges of the films throughout their length, whereby the said two films may be mechanically united at any point throughout their length for synchronous reproductlon.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto suhecribed In name in the city of Chicago, State of Il inois, on the 3rd day of February, 1913, in .the presence of two subscribing Witmesses.

WILLIAM ERASTUS IVILLIAMS.

Witnesses:

AUGUST C. RIECHERS,

GEO. E. MlLLER. 

